Book of Love: Rini One Shots

What I've Been Looking For (1)

Summary: Ricky is a single father who struggles to find love due to him being a young parent. He figured he'd never find love again and was beginning to be okay with that. That is until he accidentally meets a woman who might bring his faith back.

*Rini fluff*

Part 1 of 3 to the Start of Something New series

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"Come on Ricky, at least give it a shot."

Ricky rolled his eyes at his best friend, Big Red, as he unbuckled his three year old daughter from her car seat.

"Don't start with me Red. I had a long day and already have to cook dinner for Maya in like thirty minutes."

"Dude, you haven't been with anyone since Terra, and I know you're tired of tagging along with the rest of the gang as the seventh wheel."

"Red, you already know I'm not too crazy about the whole dating thing right now. Besides, most women are turned off the second I bring up Maya. She's basically a deal breaker for women my age." The little girl looks up at her father when she hears her name mentioned, making him smile at her. "Don't worry, honey; you're not a deal breaker to me."

The little girl smiles and reaches her hands out to her father as her own way of telling him to pick her up. He places her on his hip and pecks her on the cheek.

"I've been talking to Ashlyn about this—"

"You've been talking about my love life with your fiancé? Is it that serious to you guys?"

Big Red nods. "We can't help it. We just hate seeing you all alone all the time and only spending most of your free time with just your daughter."

"Who says I don't enjoy spending time with my daughter? I at least know she's not gonna walk out on me like the others. Well, at least not until college. Isn't that right sweetie?" Ricky poked her stomach, making Maya smile from ear to ear.

"I never said you didn't enjoy it, but surely you'd want someone to wake up next to, have full conversations with, and go on date nights with, right?"

Ricky groaned loudly as he opened his front door. He did admit it'd be nice to speak to someone whose conversation topics didn't only consist of kids movies and toys when he got back from work.

Also, a maternal figure in Maya's life would be ideal for the future when he can't fathom feminine problems no matter how many groups he went to or websites he searched.

"If I accept the date, will you leave me alone?"

Red nodded. "Sure will!"

Ricky rolled his eyes. "Ugh fine, just text me the address of the restaurant and the woman's number."

Red perked up. "Great! Ashlyn will be so excited! We'll babysit Maya for you by the way. I promise you'll love this woman, and that you won't regret it! I already hear wedding bells ringing."

Ricky scrunched up his face. "Alright, calm down. You're moving faster than a Disney princess. It's just a little blind date. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You never know! I'll send you her info. See you and Maya tomorrow at dinner."

"Bye dude."

Ricky watched Red skip to his car and couldn't stop the chuckle that came out of his mouth. He didn't let the fact that he agreed to a date with a stranger sink in until it was too late.

"Fuck."

Maya lightly hit her dad's arm. "Daddy is a potty mouth!"